I used to think of visit Vaishno Devi Temple, but couldn’t manage my schedule anyhow. It is said that only when Matarani (Goddess Vaishno Mata) calls her devotee, then we can be able to visit this famous temple, situated in Katra, Jammu.
I was staying in a working women hostel at Sarojoni Nagar in South Delhi. Here I met Shahida, a fair and slim Assamese girl, who belonged to my birthplace Jorhat, Assam. One of Shahida’s roommate introduced me with her when she came to our hostel. Shahida was junior then me. But very soon we became good friends. Whenever we got time in off days, we planned to cook something typical Assamese Dish together.
That was April 2003, I noted that we had a holiday on 18th for Good Friday and Saturday- Sunday were to be off days for me. Shahida told –‘Let’s plan to enjoy our long holidays!’ But how? We even didn’t think that in next few minutes we would plan for a memorable trip in our lives. I responded –‘Yaah, we must not waste our long holidays at all.’ Then I mentioned about my desire. I told her that I really wanted to visit Vaishno Mata temple. And surprisingly she told me –‘Why not? Let’s book train tickets and plan to visit Vaishno Mata temple. I too want to visit.’ Thus our tour had been planned.
We booked tickets for 17th night. Two more girls of our hostel were with us. Then one more girl of Shahida’s office accompanied us along with her mother. We were six all total. We felt good that some elder person was also with us.
We started our journey from Old Delhi Railway Station to Jammu. It was one of the most memorable tour in my life. Reaching Katra, we discovered that we six were not six at all! At the time of security checking, we lost the company of the mother of Shahida’s colleague( At this moment I forget her name) . We tried to find aunty but couldn’t able to find her. Our schedule was fixed. We had to reach Jammu Tawi Railway Station by next day evening to catch our return train. Already 4 hours had been passed at the security gate. So we planned to divide ourselves in three groups. Two of us moved forward and if they would meet that lady they would wait for us. Me and Shahida, we were in the middle group. If the first group would miss to find aunty, we would take care of it. At last Shahida’s colleague was coming. She went out of the security gate once again to be sure that her mother had crossed the security check gate and she would come forward.
As per our plan, we moved forward to temple. On our journey towards temple we heard slogans for Goddess – ‘Jai Mata Di’. It seemed like devotion was in the air. The devotees were with full energy to climb up the mountain. Everybody supported each other to complete the slogan ‘Jai Mata Di’ though they didn’t know each other. We met people all around from India. We met 5 years old kid climbing up the mountain with the slogan ‘Jai Mata Di’. We also met 80 years old elder person with the same spirit of devotion!
At last after 4/5 hours of climbing mountain, near Ardha-Kuwari, we were able to find out aunty. And all of our six members were united once again. After reaching Mataji Temple, we could be able to get Darshan of Vaishno Mata at around 3 am in the morning.
We moved back to Jammu Tawi Station to be busy with our usual life again. But the unforgettable memories of our trip are still in my mind. Shahida, I don't know where are you right now. But where ever you are, you must be a successful professional now.
I was staying in a working women hostel at Sarojoni Nagar in South Delhi. Here I met Shahida, a fair and slim Assamese girl, who belonged to my birthplace Jorhat, Assam. One of Shahida’s roommate introduced me with her when she came to our hostel. Shahida was junior then me. But very soon we became good friends. Whenever we got time in off days, we planned to cook something typical Assamese Dish together.
That was April 2003, I noted that we had a holiday on 18th for Good Friday and Saturday- Sunday were to be off days for me. Shahida told –‘Let’s plan to enjoy our long holidays!’ But how? We even didn’t think that in next few minutes we would plan for a memorable trip in our lives. I responded –‘Yaah, we must not waste our long holidays at all.’ Then I mentioned about my desire. I told her that I really wanted to visit Vaishno Mata temple. And surprisingly she told me –‘Why not? Let’s book train tickets and plan to visit Vaishno Mata temple. I too want to visit.’ Thus our tour had been planned.
We booked tickets for 17th night. Two more girls of our hostel were with us. Then one more girl of Shahida’s office accompanied us along with her mother. We were six all total. We felt good that some elder person was also with us.
We started our journey from Old Delhi Railway Station to Jammu. It was one of the most memorable tour in my life. Reaching Katra, we discovered that we six were not six at all! At the time of security checking, we lost the company of the mother of Shahida’s colleague( At this moment I forget her name) . We tried to find aunty but couldn’t able to find her. Our schedule was fixed. We had to reach Jammu Tawi Railway Station by next day evening to catch our return train. Already 4 hours had been passed at the security gate. So we planned to divide ourselves in three groups. Two of us moved forward and if they would meet that lady they would wait for us. Me and Shahida, we were in the middle group. If the first group would miss to find aunty, we would take care of it. At last Shahida’s colleague was coming. She went out of the security gate once again to be sure that her mother had crossed the security check gate and she would come forward.
As per our plan, we moved forward to temple. On our journey towards temple we heard slogans for Goddess – ‘Jai Mata Di’. It seemed like devotion was in the air. The devotees were with full energy to climb up the mountain. Everybody supported each other to complete the slogan ‘Jai Mata Di’ though they didn’t know each other. We met people all around from India. We met 5 years old kid climbing up the mountain with the slogan ‘Jai Mata Di’. We also met 80 years old elder person with the same spirit of devotion!
At last after 4/5 hours of climbing mountain, near Ardha-Kuwari, we were able to find out aunty. And all of our six members were united once again. After reaching Mataji Temple, we could be able to get Darshan of Vaishno Mata at around 3 am in the morning.
We moved back to Jammu Tawi Station to be busy with our usual life again. But the unforgettable memories of our trip are still in my mind. Shahida, I don't know where are you right now. But where ever you are, you must be a successful professional now.
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